Psalm 18

To the Chief Musician, a Psalm of David, the servant of the Lord, who spoke unto the Lord the words of this song in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul; and he said

I love you, Oh God, You’re my strength, my rock, Lord,
My fortress, deliverer; and more you afford;

My God, and my rock, in whom refuge I take;
My shield and salvation’s horn, stronghold you make.

I’ll call on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
And so I’ll be saved from my enemies’ ways.

The cold cords of death all around me were wound,
From floods of the wicked with fear, I was bound.

Cruel cords of the grave circled me ’round about;
Confronted by death’s snares, I saw no way out.

And so on the Lord, in my trouble, I called,
And cried out for help; yes, before God I bawled.

My voice from his temple he surely did hear;
My cry for help came to him, into his ear.

The earth it did tremble, the ground it did shake;
Because of his anger, the mountains did quake.

A smoke from his nostrils, and from his mouth fire,
A fire all-consuming; coals lit by his ire.

He also stretched heavens, slipped down from his seat;
Descended with darkness surrounding his feet.

He mounted a cherub and flew, did descend;
And there he did soar on the wings of the wind.

The darkness he donned as his secret disguise;
His canopy ’round him, dark clouds of the skies.

From brilliance before him his thick clouds have passed;
With hailstones and lightning bolts they have amassed.

The Lord also thundered in heaven, the sky,
With hailstones and lightning gave voice, the Most High.

He sent out his arrows and enemies scattered;
Yes, even with great bolts of lightning them battered.

Then water beds sighted, earth’s foundation shown
At your rebuke O Lord, from nostril’s breath blown.

He sent from above and he took hold of me;
And then drew me out from deep waters to free.

He rescued me from my fierce, strong enemy,
From those who despised and were too strong for me.

They challenged me then on calamity’s day,
In spite of their scheming, the Lord was my stay.

He brought me forth also into a large place;
Delivered, delighted when he saw my case.

Because of my rightness the Lord dealt good plans;
And he has rewarded because of clean hands.

For I have been careful to keep the Lord’s way,
And from my God I did not wickedly stray.

For all of his ord’nances were before me;
And from me I put away not one decree.

Before him I also was blameless, upright;
For I even kept myself from my sin’s blight.

Because of my rightness the Lord did reprise,
According to cleanness of hands in his eyes.

To faithful ones you show yourself just the same,
To each who is upright, appear without blame;

And so to the pure you will show yourself pure;
But then to the crooked, you’ll look like you were.

For you’ll help the humble: the poor some despise;
But lay low the ones who have high haughty eyes.

For you make my lamp to be lighted, be bright;
The Lord my God who surely shines in my night.

With you through a troop I can flee and not fall;
And by my God I can vault over a wall.

For God’s way is perfect; the Lord’s word is tried;
And to those who trust him a shield where they hide.

For who’s God, but the Lord? a rock, but our God,
Who clothes me with strength and my way makes unflawed?

He makes my feet agile like sure-footed deer;
And on my high hill stands me firm without fear.

My hands for war he trains to then fight the foe,
And so my arms strengthened to bend a bronze bow.

Salvation’s shield given; sustained with right hand;
And then by your gentleness you made me grand.

For you have made broad my steps under their grip,
So as to make certain my feet do not slip.

I followed my foes, overtook those I sought;
Until they were finished I faced them and fought.

I then struck them soundly so they could not rise;
They under my feet fell and met their demise.

For you have equipped me with strong strength for war;
And who stands against me you make kneel before.

And you turned their neck; set to flight all my foes,
That I might destroy those that hate and oppose.

They cried out for help but there was none to save,
They looked to the Lord, but no answer he gave.

I ground them as grains of fine powder, wind blown;
Like dirt in the street they were tossed out and thrown.

For you have delivered from those who contend;
The nation’s head made me; and strangers attend.

As soon as they heard of me they did obey;
For foreigners cringed in submissive display.

These foreigners fainted, lost heart, this enclave,
And trembling trudged from fast fortress in cave.

The Lord is alive, and my Rock to be praised;
And so let my God of salvation be raised.

It’s this God that for me His vengeance endues,
Who under me also the people subdues.

From enemies saves me; against me who rose,
You lift me above; man of violence depose.

And, so I’ll give thanks amongst nations exclaim,
Oh Lord; praises sing to you, unto your name.

Great triumphs he gives to his king; mercy makes;
To David, anointed and seed ever takes.

Poetical Psalms by David Veliquette